Choerospondias is a monotypic genus of deciduous trees in the cashew family Anacardiaceae (order Sapindales). Its sole species, Choerospondias axillaris — commonly known as the Nepali hog plum — is native to the Himalayas, Indochina, southern and north-central China, Taiwan, and Japan.
The tree reaches up to 20 metres in height, with purple-brown branchlets and compound leaves up to 40 cm long, each divided into 3 to 6 papery oval leaflets. It is dioecious: male flowers appear in long clusters with brown-veined petals about 3 mm long, while female flowers are solitary in leaf axils at branch tips, larger than the males, and develop into the edible drupe. The fruit is roughly 3 cm long with soft, whitish, sour flesh and green-to-yellow skin.
The fruit has long been cultivated, particularly in Nepal and Bhutan, where it is known as lapsi (Nepali) or aamli (Newar) and made into pickles, fruit tarts, and sour-spicy candy. Beyond its culinary use, the fruit is offered in religious ceremonies, and parts of the plant are used medicinally in Vietnam and Tibet. The wood is valued, and the hard seeds are burned as fuel. Fallen fruits are dispersed by sambar and barking deer.
Etymology
The genus name Choerospondias combines the Greek χοῖρος (choîros, "pig") with Spondias, a related genus of tropical fruit trees also in Anacardiaceae, reflecting the common English name "hog plum" shared by several members of this group.
Distribution
Choerospondias axillaris is native to a broad East and Southeast Asian range spanning the Himalayas (Nepal, Bhutan), Indochina, southern and north-central China, Taiwan, and Japan. It is widely cultivated within this range for its fruit.
Ecology
The species is dioecious, with male and female flowers occurring on separate trees. Male flowers are borne in long clusters, while female flowers are solitary at branch tips. Fallen fruits are consumed and dispersed by sambar deer and barking deer, serving as an important food source in its native forest ecosystems.
Cultivation
Choerospondias axillaris has long been cultivated for its fruit, known as lapsi in Nepal and aamli in Newar communities. The sour drupe is processed into pickles, fruit tarts, and a sour-spicy candy popular in Nepal and Bhutan. The fruit commands a market price comparable to the mandarin orange in Nepal, indicating established horticultural and economic importance.
Cultural Uses
The fruit of Choerospondias axillaris is used as a religious offering in ceremonies across its Himalayan range. Beyond ritual use, it is a common everyday fruit in Nepal and Bhutan, integrated into both home cooking and commercial confectionery.
Taxonomy Notes
Choerospondias is a monotypic genus — it contains only the single species C. axillaris. GBIF records 2 descendants, likely reflecting an infraspecific taxon or synonym in addition to the accepted species. Phytochemically, catechin-7-O-glucoside has been isolated from the stem bark.
